Smiling Is All We Are
by crazytomboy78
Summary: My second songfic collection. May i remind the reader that each chapter is a new songfic! Yay! Enjoy the ups and the downs of the unique friendship of three teens from NYC: Tony, Pepper and Rhodey. BAD summary! Boohoo!
1. Smile

**Hey guys! I'm like, going story crazy here! I just got a bunch of great ideas. (Well, mainly 2, this one and the other one I just posted.) Anyways, it's just a one-shot songfic. Hehe [X**

**And, I think I'm gonna make this into another round of songfics! Like last time, I'll submit 2 chapters a day. Fantastical!**

**Song: **_**Smile by Uncle Kracker**_

**Oh, and I got a review on my songfic collection saying that I'm just repeating the lyrics when I write the songfic. I'd just like to say to that person, if they're reading this, sorry if it's boring for you, I can't please everyone, but it's just the way I write it, and really there's no other way I can successfully write a songfic rather than to, as you'd say, 'repeat the lyrics.' So, sorry if I can't make you happy. No one's perfect.**

_You're better than the best  
I'm lucky just to linger in your light  
Cooler than the flip-side of my pillow (that's right)  
Completely unaware  
Nothing can compare to where you send me  
Lets me know that it's okay (yea, it's okay)  
And the moments when my good times start to fade_

Pepper lay on her bed. Saturday morning. Awake pretty early. It's 7:05. She can't sleep, just can't right now. She's got **him** in her head. She thought about what her general opinion of him was. He's better than some of the best guys she's ever met. He has so much publicity now, that she's just lucky to be able to stand next to him every day. He's the coolest person she knows; he's cooler than ice. **(A/N: yah, that was lame. Sorries!) **And yet, all at the same time, he has no idea how she feels about him. Nothing would ever compare to the places he could put her in…..he always would let her know that whatever it is, it's always ok. Yet, those good times, those happy memories—they all begin to fade.

_You make me smile like a sun, Fall outta bed  
Sing like a bird, Dizzy in my head  
Spin like a record, Crazy on a Sunday night  
You make me dance like fool, Forget how to breathe  
Shine like gold, Buzz like a bee  
Just the thought of you can drive me wild  
Oh, you make me smile_

Tony, lying on his bed, checked the time on his phone. 10:35. Good thing it's Saturday. For some reason, thoughts of numerous topics were flooding his mind. What to invent today, who to talk to, when to relax, his best friends…Pepper. He thought of all the things she's done for him. She's always been able to make him smile brightly. Then his phone, resting just below his implant, started vibrating. As he rushed to pick it up, he found himself coming in close contact with the ground. He had fallen off of his bed in a scramble to pick up the phone. He thought of the event. She made him fall out of his bed. He felt his head spin as he answered Pepper's call. She can make him so happy….most of the time, when he was caught dancing like a complete fool, it was the result of thinking of her. Those moments they have….sometimes it makes him forget breathing. She brings out the golden side of him; thinking about her was making him crazy. She's the spreading of his smile.

_Even when you're gone  
somehow you come along just like a flower pokin through the sidewalk crack  
and just like that  
you steal away the rain  
and just like that_

_Don't know how I lived without you  
'Cuz every time that I get around you  
I see the best of me inside your eyes  
You make me smile  
You make me dance like fool, Forget how to breathe  
Shine like gold, Buzz like a bee  
Just the thought of you can drive me wild  
Oh, you make me smile_

She wasn't even here right now, in the sense she had only called a few minutes ago to make plans for the afternoon, and yet she can randomly come along, bored or whatever her reason was, and poke the sunshine out on his rainy day. He had absolutely no idea how he had ever lived without knowing her before. Every time she comes around, the best qualities of him comes out. She makes him smile widely…occasionally he forgets how to breathe around her. These thoughts….where were they coming from? Just a day ago, these thoughts weren't filling his head, and he knew they were just friends. Then he wakes up and….boom, it's getting deeper than friends. He always wondered about her….so bright, so curious, daring, talkative and spunky…..

Tony got off his bed and got ready to go meet her.

Today was going to be the day.

**AWWW, THAT'S THE END? WTF? So short! Sorry! Not exactly the longest song, but I loves it! Anyways, like I said. I'm gonna go write up another one and publish it cuz there's just so many dang songs I want to use for songfics! Dangit….anyways, review!**


	2. Upside Down

**Hey! Here's that second update for you! *Cheers* I happy (X**

**Song: **_**Bouncing Off The Ceiling by A*Teens**_

**And I might get some songfics in here that don't focus on the Pepperony concept, so don't worry!**

_My grades are down from A's to D's  
I'm way behind in history  
I lost myself in fantasies  
Of you and me together  
I don't know why - I - I but dreaming's all I do  
I won't get by-I-I on mere imagination  
Upside down  
Bouncing off the ceiling  
Inside out  
Stranger to this feeling  
Got no clue what I should do  
But I'll go crazy if I can't get next to you_

Pepper sat history class while the professor blabbed on and on about the French revolution. She didn't care if a bunch of French psychos paraded the streets of France with their rulers' heads on a stick. She cared that she was wonderfully fantasizing about her favorite person. She looked down at her report card. Last semester, her grades were roughly A's. They're down to a stellar D average now. She couldn't help herself, though! All she could think about lately was Tony, Tony, Tony. She was way behind in this class, and it's all due to her fantasies of being with him. Don't worry—dreaming is all she does in all her other classes too. She had no idea why she was doing this suddenly, but she knew that relying on a supply of imagination wasn't going to do her any good. She had to talk to him about something having to do with romance at least a little each day, until she builds the courage to finally tell him. That wasn't for a long time now, though. She was going upside down and off the ceiling, and nothing is stranger in her life than this feeling she's having. She didn't know what to do other than fantasize. But right now, she was going to go crazy if she didn't get out of this classroom and to Tony soon.

_My teacher says to concentrate  
So what- his name was Peter the Great  
The kings and queens will have to wait  
Cuz I don't have forever  
I wish that I - I - I could walk right up to you  
Each time I try- I-I the same old hesitation  
Somehow someday  
You will love me too  
One day will be the day when all my dreams come true  
Upside down..._

The bell rang, and students started filing out of their seats and left for their other classes. As Pepper was leaving for her next class, the teacher called Pepper over to chat.

"Pepper, I've noticed your grades are going straight down this semester, and I think it's due to you not paying attention during class. You need to concentrate." The teacher explained. Pepper nodded, not speaking a word, and the teacher dismissed her. Pepper walked out of history class silently. _So what if some dude is great? I don't care about old dudes' names. Those monarchists will have to wait, cuz Tony's got the floor in my head right now. I don't have forever, you know. _She thought to herself. She wished that it was easy to walk up to Tony, but no; each time, she had to try her best to contain herself. And every time, she had to try her best not to just blankly stare into his eyes. Each and every y time, she tries the excuse of telling herself that maybe someday he'll like her too. That'll be the day. The day when her dream comes true.

_Upside down  
Bouncing off the ceiling  
Inside out  
Stranger to this feeling  
Got no clue what I should do  
But I'll go crazy if I can't get next to...  
But I'll go crazy if I can't get next to...  
But I'll go crazy if I can't get next to you_

She felt upside down with emotion right now. She's going crazy, bouncing off the ceiling like this. She's never had this feeling for anyone before, and she didn't exactly know what to do about it. All she knew is she felt like running to his locker right now, because she's gonna go nuts if she doesn't get a word to him soon.

**Chapter 222222222222222222! Hahaha. That was cool, I love that song [X don't you? It's an oldie, IK. Who cares….review!**


	3. Everybody Hurts

**Hey peoples! I'm sorry I didn't update for a while! I was hung up on finding the perfect song about losing someone…..none of them seemed to fit Tony's life or lifestyle. One of two daily updates here [X Awesome. Love this song.**

**Song: **_**Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.**_

**Warnings: contains character death, and is set during the time of Tony's depression, and the months following his father's… 'Death.' KK? KK!**

**And it's a pretty short song. Sorry!**

_When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,  
When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on.  
Don't let yourself go, everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes._

Tony kept feeling at the big hunk of metal just resting in his chest. It felt so cold…so different. The days seemed so much longer now…..and the nights he spent alone. Regardless of the fact that he's living with his best friend. He's pretty sure he's had enough of this depression, of this life…but everyone tells him to keep holding on. Just hang in there, Tony. Don't lose hope. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. Don't let go of yourself, its ok to cry, everyone has something to hurt over. Everyone gets this way sometimes. So he does.

_Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along.  
When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)  
If you feel like letting go, (hold on)  
When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on._

It seemed like these days, everything was going wrong. Nothing was right; he wasn't supposed to be here, doing this. People were telling him that life is a song, and it's your turn to sing along. His days seemed dark, like the night, and they felt so alone. He knew he had this family, the people who took him in, and he feels like letting go right now, just to see his family again, and he's had enough of this despair he was in, but he told himself to just keep hanging on, he'll make it. He can do it, go team. He had his whole life ahead of him, and he couldn't waste it now. He knew that he needed to take control of his dad's company in two years, and if he didn't, the company would go through the toilet.

So this is what it's like to be an orphan. No one to tell you love, no one to tuck you in at night or wash away all your fears, and guide you down the right path in life.

_Everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends.  
Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand.  
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone._

He knew that everyone has something they hurt over, and they only recover one way—through the power of friends. He had a friend, and maybe soon more, that could help him through this point in his life….this long, depressing point. So he wasn't alone. Awesome….

_If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,  
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on.  
Well, everybody hurts sometimes,  
Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes.  
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on.  
Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on. (Repeat & fade)  
(Everybody hurts. You are not alone.)_

He couldn't still help but feel alone in this life he leads. His days, and nights, were longer than they used to be. He can't stop himself from thinking he's had enough depression for one lifetime to keep holding on, but he knew that everyone hurts over something. He keeps telling himself, yet there's a part of him that says he doesn't care. He tells himself that it's ok to cry sometimes, and it's ok to hurt a little. So he had to hold on tight. He would hold on tighter.

**Whew! That is one short song. You have NO idea how many chapters I have to write in an hour and a half right now, dude. So there's only gonna be one chap. Update tonight….so sorry! Review!**


	4. Ocean Avenue

**Heyall! It's been long, I know….sorry. I was just busy with my other stories! Sorry! Anywaysss!**

**Song: **_**Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard**_

_There's a place off Ocean Avenue_

_Where I used to sit and talk with you_

_We were both 16 and it felt so right_

_Sleeping all day, staying up all night_

_Staying up all night_

Tony sat in his office and remembered the good old days, when life wasn't nearly as complicated as this. He looked back to when he was only 16…..

**(A/N: at this point, the story is set back to when Tony was 16.)**

Tony headed off down the road with Pepper, sky dark and stars twinkling; moon yet to come out. They walked to an old alley in Times Square, where all the bright lights were shining in the night. They walked down the alley, and came to the end of it. They emerged from the alley in an old abandoned ledge, where everyone used to sneak off to when they were 16, and needed a place to go. They sat atop it and looked up at the stars. Tony couldn't help but notice how natural, how right this felt. These moments they would have; they were so relaxing. They, of course, _are _only 16, and still have a while left in their lives to go. He began to think of how they'd be asleep the whole day now, because he had the feeling they were going to be here all night. They looked at the stars, quietly. There wasn't really much to say, surprisingly, considering Pepper is such a blabber-mouth.

_There's a place on the corner of Cherry Street_

_We would walk on the beach in our bare feet_

_We were both 18 and it felt so right_

_Sleeping all day, staying up all night_

_Staying up all night_

After they got pretty tired of sitting there almost every night, years had passed. Two, in fact. They took the bus across town and started walking the pier one night. They tossed their shoes in the sand and walked along the shoreline on the beach. Tony pondered the idea of getting to bed, because he had his first day of work tomorrow. Considering they _were_ 18 now. But no; they were going to be awake all night. But this time, he didn't have the free time to sleep all day. He had to show his company that he was ready to step in, both legally and mentally. He didn't mind their all-nighters, though; they gave him some time to relax and unwind after a long, stressful day. It felt nice. Then he noticed Pepper start to shiver. She was only wearing a tank top and denim capris, her purple flip-flops tossed aside his read sneakers.

"You wanna go back for a sweatshirt or something?" Tony asked. She shook her head.

"Then do you want my jacket?" He asked. She nodded, hugging herself for warmth. Tony pulled his arms out of his cozy white sweatshirt, and slipped it over his shivering friend's shoulders. She hugged it tightly.

"Thanks." She said, feeling the warmth fill her body suddenly.

"Won't you be cold?" She asked.

"Nah, I'm good. Just wore that because I didn't want to carry it is all." He answered. She shrugged, and they continued walking.

_If I could find you now things would get better_

_We could leave this town and run forever_

_Let your waves crash down on me and take me away_

**(A/N: back to the way it was in the very first sentence!) **

Tony remained quiet at his desk. If he could just get a second chance, things would be different. His life wouldn't seem so stressful, and he'd be a little more relaxed right now. Like, way more. A lot more. He wished he hadn't forgotten to ask her, or hadn't forgotten to keep in contact with her. He wished he hadn't been so arrogant; so dumb. He wished that she was here today, to be by his side, and they could go away, out of town for a long while. They could relax, and she could take him away to a land of serene peace and calm. He wished he had told her those three simple words before she had driven off; _I love you._ He pounded the desk with his fists. Then his door swung open.

"Sir? Your 3 o' clock is here." Trish called into his room.

"Alright, bring him in." Tony responded. A man in a suit stepped in, and they discussed god knows what.

_There's a piece of you that's here with me_

_It's everywhere I go, it's everything I see_

_When I sleep, I dream and it gets me by_

_I can make believe that you're here tonight_

_That you're here tonight_

After the meeting was over, Tony opened the bottom left drawer of his desk. He picked up a rock that was shaped like a heart, and clutched it in his hand. It was the only thing he had left of her now. She was somewhere in this big old country, and he didn't know where. Now her face was everywhere he went, because he couldn't stop thinking about her; about the mistake he had made. The only thing that was getting him by right now was the dreams at night of the good old days, their memories, and what their life now would be like if he had only kept in touch with her. One simple mistake was ruining his heart. He could just pretend that she was home, waiting for Tony on his couch, but he knew it was only a figment of his imagination. Never to be real. He just wished that she could be here tonight, with him.

_If I could find you now things would get better_

_We could leave this town and run forever_

_I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together_

_Let your waves crash down on me and take me away_

_I remember the look in your eyes_

_When I told you that this was goodbye_

_You were begging me not tonight_

_Not here, not now_

_We're looking up at the same night sky_

_And keep pretending the sun will not rise_

_We'll be together for one more night_

_Somewhere, somehow_

If he could just find her right now, wherever she was, he wouldn't be this stressed. Life would be a lot better. They could go on a vacation, a trip to somewhere they could be alone. He hoped, and wished that someday, somewhere, they would be reunited; and damn it, it would be so good. He always went back to the beach after work, and let the waves splash over his feet; just like old times. It refreshed him in a way. He could just see her face in his head the day she left for college; tears in her eyes, looking down at the ground, not speaking a word, too choked up to speak three words she had been holding in for two years now. He told her that now was goodbye, and she told him that she wished it wasn't here, not right now, not ever; yet it had to be that way. They couldn't be together forever, she said. They had to be apart some point in their young lives. She sobbed harder. He imagined her looking at the same stars as he was right now; at least they were connected in that sense. He would always keep pretending that the night had never become the day, just that once. Somehow, they were going to be united once again. Someday. And he was determined to reach that day sometime soon.

_If I could find you now things would get better_

_We could leave this town and run forever_

_I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together_

_Let your waves crash down on me and take me away_

If he could just simply find her now, today, this week, this hour, this minute, by some miracle, his life wouldn't be such a sweat drop. Wouldn't be such a pain. They could take a sort of a subconscious journey through realization of what their relationship should be. Somehow, they HAD to be together. Someday, he would reach that goal soon.

**Weeellll, wasn't that sweeeet? I thought it was. Review?**


	5. Oh, Is It Love?

**Hey! Here's that second chapter I promised. Always 2 a day, unless I don't have time. Which, lately, I don't make room for enough of. I might shorten the limit for this one back to one a day….**

**Song: **_**Oh, It Is Love by Hellogoodbye**_

_Oh, it is love  
From the first time I set my eyes upon yours  
Thinking oh, is it love?  
Oh dear  
It's been hardly a moment  
And you are already missed  
There is still a bit of your skin  
That I've yet to have kissed  
Oh say please do not go  
But you know, oh, you know that I must  
Oh say I love you so  
But you know, oh, you know you can trust  
We'll be holding hands once again  
All our broken plans I will mend  
I will hold you tight so you know  
It is love from the first  
Time I pressed my hand into yours  
Thinking oh is it love?_

He knew he liked her, and he knew it deep down from the first time he saw her; but that moment, when they met, was such a depressed mood set. Though she seemed like the first spark of hope for him in his life. He liked her, a lot. But….does he love her? She'd been on vacation merely a minute by now, and he already missed hearing her voice go on and on. There were still parts of her that he wanted to wrap his arms around. He wanted her to tell him not to go, but he had to go. She did, too. She and her dad would miss their flight to California if they didn't go. He promised her that once she got back, she could hold his hand again and wrap her arms around him once again. He promised they could make plans for the week she got back, making up for all that they wanted to do this week. From the very first moment his hand was in hers, he asked himself…._is this love?_

_Oh, dear, it's been hardly three days  
And I'm longing to feel your embrace.  
There are several days  
until I can see your sweet face.  
Oh say, wouldn't you like to be older and married with me  
Oh say, wouldn't it be nice to know right now that we'll be  
Someday holding hands in the end  
All our broken plans will have been  
I will kiss you soft so you know  
It is love from the first  
Time I pressed my lips against yours  
Thinking oh is it love?_

Three days later, Tony found himself missing her warm skin embracing him constantly. There were still a few more days left until he could see her smile again. For now, pictures in his imagination would have to do. He wondered if he could ever spend the rest of his life with anyone else; the stronger answer seemed to be no. It seemed comforting that there was always the option that someday they will be reaching the end of their life span, hand in hand, and all of their ruined plans will have been re-planned. When she got back, he would give her a warm kiss that said, _I loved you at first glance, and was sure of it at first kiss. _But…..is it really love? The question repeated in his mind.

_Your heart may long for love that is more near  
So when I'm gone these words will be here  
To ease every fear  
And dry up every tear  
And make it very clear  
I kiss you and I know  
It is love from the first  
Time I pressed my lips against yours  
Thinking oh is it love?_

He remembered her telling him one day that she did admit to wanting someone to love. So these days, when she's remembering he's not here to soak up her tears, rid her of fears, or to make it clear that he loves her and he knows it when he kisses her. He thought to himself….the first kiss. It was love? Or no? It confused him, and once more the answer was a stronger yes.

_Oh it is love from the first  
Time I pressed my lips against yours  
Thinking oh is it love?  
I kiss you and I know  
It is love from the first  
Time I pressed my lips onto yours  
Thinking oh is it love?_

Then he went with the stronger answer. Yes, he did love her. He knew it in their kisses. He knew it from the first time they met, made contact, that all those time he'd asked himself, is it love? The answer was yes.

**Awesome! Sweet! Cute! I have to go to bed! Reviewwwwwwwwwww!**


	6. When You're Gone

**Hey! It's been too long, ik. Sorry! I was WAY busy with my other stories and school and other things! **

**Song: **_**When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne**_

**Oh, and I've realized by now that when I write these, I kind of am just repeating the lyrics. Sorry, it's just, I don't really know how to write these things and it's hard to do something you don't know how to do, ya know what I'm saying? Oh, and the story isn't exactly going to be exactly the story told in the song, instead I transform it to the IMAA, more correct situation for the characters….!**

_I always needed time on my own  
I never thought I'd need you there when I cry  
And the days feel like years when I'm alone  
And the bed where you lie is made up on your side  
When you walk away I count the steps that you take  
Do you see how much I need you right now_

Pepper sat on her bed, in her dorm. The room was silent. She couldn't choke out a word to her roommate, Kelly. So, in a haste to rid of Pepper's silence, Kelly left to go do something more….loud. She craved noise at the moment, and not Pepper's mopy mood. Pepper understood why Kelly would want to leave. Kelly doesn't hate Pepper, they're good friends; but Kelly understood that Pepper wanted just to be alone at the moment, and was glad that she could get talkative with someone else.

Pepper remembered the tears that she wanted to shed the day she and Tony had parted ways. He went off to go be a big-shot boss man, and she went off to be a less-fortunate college kid. They were different people now, in their own ways. It had already been two years since they had parted ways, and it was already almost summer break. When she came home to her dad, she'd have to look for a summer job, and she'd be too busy to spend time with Tony, and vice versa. It upset her, and made her want to cry more. She felt so empty without him to talk to each day. She remembered the way he had kissed her before she left. She wished that had happened a lot earlier than the day she left him for college. She was in a state of need, so strong it almost felt like a hunger, and she was craving Tony Stark. Little does she know, he feels the same way….

_When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you  
When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too  
When you're gone  
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok  
I miss you_

She decided it best that she get out of her room and forget about her shattered heart. It was bringing her down lower than she preferred. Perhaps a nice long walk would clear her head. She walked out of her dorm, snatched her room key, and locked her door. She stepped out of the building and into the fresh, outdoor air. These are the moments that make her forget about the pain that's tearing her up inside, and it felt good to let that pain out of her heart for a while. Only, to her dismay, it'd just come back again later. Then she'd have to find something to make her laugh, like going to dinner with her friends or playing Frisbee or something. It got her by, but she always fell asleep to the sound of his voice fading away, and into her dreams; which caused tears to soak her pillow. Then again, those words always made her feel a little better. It felt good to pretend they were together at last.

_I've never felt this way before  
Everything that I do reminds me of you  
And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor  
And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do  
When you walk away I count the steps that you take  
Do you see how much I need you right now_

She remembered all the crushes she had before him. They all made her feel good inside, but no one had made her feel the way Tony did—it made her absolutely crazy. It wasn't like one of those dumb fan-girl 'oh my goodness, he's hot and famous and mine mine mine!' crushes; it was more like a 'he's a good person and he's like no one else I've ever met' crushes. His heroic antics, his being Iron Man, and his genius all dazzled her. She loved the way he did everything. Logic, with a speck of knowledge. It impressed her that someone could know that much stuff. She took out the picture she kept of him on her phone, and looked at it for a moment before taking out the necklace he gave her as a parting gift. She put it around her neck, like she always did in the morning. She was afraid that necklaces could choke her in her sleep, and she didn't want it to rust in the shower. So she took it off for those occasions, and those only.

She remembered always watching him walk away in school, their last day together, at nighttime when he walked her home, and whenever they parted, basically. She missed being able to do that. It's why she was psyched to be able to visit him next weekend. It was approaching all too slowly. She was overjoyed to hear that he could make time for her after work, and she could visit the office. After all, he insisted she visit; next weekend is Pepper's birthday. He wanted to do something special.

_We were made for each other  
Out here forever  
I know we were, yeah  
All I ever wanted was for you to know  
Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul  
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me, yeah_

She was sure that, when she thought about it, she couldn't imagine being with anyone else for the rest of her life. She knew that the way he made her feel was a feeling that no one else had given her. She didn't want to spend her adult years married to some other dude, who didn't treat her half as well as Tony did. She imagined having kids with other dudes, and they all looked…like the kind of kids she _didn't _want to have. Then she imagined what her and Tony's kids would look like, and they seemed perfect. Like, she wanted them to be real. If they get married, that is. NOT premarital children. No thanks. Not for Pepper Potts, at least. Her mind drifted deeper into the thought, and it seemed to comfort her. It sent her away to a land of dreams that she hoped, one day, would come true.

**Well, that was the last one! There's no more good songs to use, so how'd I do? Good? No? Review!**


End file.
